Butter-separator.



NO- 826,839. PATENTED JULY 24, 1906.

A. FAY.

BUTTER SEPARATOR. APPLICATION rum) NOV. 6. 1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT orrioa.

ALPHEUS FAY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF WILLIAM B. JONES, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO;

BUTTER-SEPAIRATOR.

Patented July 24, 1906.

Application filed November 5, 1904. Serial No- 231,588.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALPHEUS FAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Butter-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for extracting butter from sweet milk or cream by the introduction of air into the milk or cream durin the process. The means employed are capa 1e of use in treating large quantities of milk or cream, are; simple and easy to operate and keep clean, readily taken apart and assembled and easily packed for shipping, and adjustable for easy running or for change of power or speed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a separator embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same; Fig. 3, an elevation showing the method of mounting damming-strips on the interior wall of the separating-chamber; Fig. 4, a bottom plan view on line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, an elevation of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6, a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 1, showing the cap for regulating the supply of air.

The body A of the separator is of the ordinary upright type provided with legs a, se-

cured in sockets a on the bottom thereof, and is oblong-shaped in horizontal section to conveniently accommodate two sets of rotating agitators. An ordinary lid B, divided into two halves, is provided for closing the top of the separator. Brackets O are secured to thetops of the sides of the separating-chamber and provided with bearings for a shaft D. At one end shaft D is provided with a crank E, which is rendered adjustable in length by means of set-screw e. In very large separators for treating large quantities of milk or cream the shaft D may be extended and provided with a pulley driven by power, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

A driving-gear F is keyed or otherwise secured on shaft D and meshes with a gear G on a spool or sleeve H, which is keyed on a shaft h. The shaft h is mounted in a bearing 6 in a beveled gear I, which is looselymounted on shaft D. At its end opposite to gear G spool H carries a gear J, meshing'with a gear K, carried by the hub of a beveled gear L, which is loosely mounted on shaft D. The

beveled gears I and L mesh, respectively, with beveled gears m and n on'hollow shafts M andN, which are rotatably mounted' in chamber openings in lid B. By this construction it will be seen that upon rotation of shaft D gear F will drive gearG, and consequentlygear J, through the medium of spool H, but gear J meshes with gear K on the hub of beveled gear L, so that the latter is rotated by rotation of gear G. As gear L meshes with gear m on shaft M, the latter will thus be driven in the direction indicated by" the arrow in Fig. 2. The reaction upon gear J in thus drivin shaft M is transmuted by shaft 7 to gear I, which causes the latter to rotate in a direction opposite to that of gear'L and to drive shaft N in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. Thus it will be seen that the shafts M and N will be rotated in opposite directions, one under the nfluence' of the-action and the other under the influence of the reaction from shaft D. As the action and reaction are always equal, an equal amount of power will be transmitted to each shaft'M and N and an equilibrium established between the two shafts.

At the upper ends shafts M and N are given a rotatable bearing in sockets O and P on the under side of'bracketsC. The up er portions of socketsO and P are made sma ler than the lower portions to correspond with the bores of shafts M and N and to form an nular shoulders 0 and p, against which the upper ends of shafts M and N bear. Holes are made in the walls of brackets O to give access of air to the upper ends of the bore in shafts M and N. The shafts M and N carry agitators Q at different elevations in chamber A and at the bottom combined agitators and air-pumpsR. The agitators Qhave their blades 9 inclined to throw the milk or cream upwardly as they rotate. The agitators and pumps R consist of four channeled cross-arms 1', made in one casting, as shown, and secured to their respective shafts by set-screws r. The bottoms of the chamiels in cross-arms r are open, and the shafts M and N do not extend below the tops of the channels, so that the center portion of the agitator-pumps between the channels is left open for access of milk or cream from below. It will be noted that as agitator-pumps R, rotate the center portion of the channels remains practically A and extend through suitable create a vacuum forces the milk or cream' which naturally rises at the center out into the operative portions of the channels, whence it is forcibly discharged. Thus it will be seen that a constant and rapid flow is induced across the open lower end of the shafts M and N, with the result that air is drawn from the bore thereof bythe friction of the passing fluid and introduced into the fluid. A bridge S, carrying a bearing-block s, is secured to each agitator-pump It, as shown, and pointed set-screws T are mount ed in the bottom of chamber A in such position as to furnish a bearing for block 8. Washer 15 and jam-nuts t and t prevent leaking around set-screws T and serve to lock them in any desired position. By this arranger'nent an adjustable bearing with aminimum of friction is obtained for the lower end of shaft F.

Damming-strips U and V are secured on the inner periphery of chamber A and interferewith the continuous circular movement of the milk or cream to cause violent agitation thereof. The strips U, located at the ends of chamber A, have an upper bearing against pins or bolts a and a lower'bearing against the bottom of the chamber A. These strips are made longer than the vertical distance between the pins u and the bottom of the chamber, so that to secure the strips in position all that is necessary is to engage the upper concaved end with pin a while in an inclined position and force the lower end of the strip toward the vertical through the pin.

As' the strip is longer than the distance between the pin and the chamber-bottom, it will jam between the two, and thus be locked in position. These strips are inclined toward the direction from which the milk or cream flows against them, so that the force of the flow tends to press the strip farther toward the vertical, and thus more securel lock it in position. The direction of the ow of the milk or cream against strips U is indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. As shaftsM and N rotate in op osite directions, dammin'g-strips V on the si es of chamber A receive the flow on both sides, and so are placed in a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 1. They are made of such length as to be a tight fit between pins 12 and the chamber-bottom to hold them in position.

Set-screws T, besides furnishing a practieally frictionless bearing for shafts M and N,

permit, delicate adjustments in position thereof to insure the proper relation between shafts M'and N and shaft D. By adjusting the length of crank-handle E difierent speeds and degrees of power may be imparted to shaft D.

I have learned from experience that in treating sweet milk or cream the introduction of air aids materially in the separation; but with sour cream the introduction of air is detrimental. I have therefore provided acap W, adapted to fit over bracket C and close the openings leading to sockets O and P to exclude the air when desired.

While I have shown and described the preferred means for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be confined to the 1rgxact construction shown in the drawings;

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a butter-separator, the combination of a separating-chamber; an operating-shaft mounted thereon; a beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying eccentrically a pair of rotatable gears connected together; a driving-gear secured to said shaft and meshin with one of the pair of gears; a second beve ed gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying concentrically a gear meshing with the other of the pair of gears; a pair of agitating-shafts rotatably mounted in the separating-chamber and each carrying a beveled gear meshing with one of the beveled gears on the operating-shaft; and agitators on said agitating-shafts, substantially as specified.

2. In a butter-separator, the combination of a separating-chamber; an operating-shaft mounted thereon; a beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying eccentrically a pair of rotatable gears connected together; a driving-gear secured to said shaft and meshing with one of the pair of gears; a second beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying concentrically a gear meshing with the other of the pair of gears; a pair of hollow agitating-shafts rotatably mounted in the sep arating-chamb er and each carrying a beveled gear meshing with one of the beveled gears on the operating-shaft and agitators on said agitating-shafts, substantially as specified.

3. In a butter-separator, the combination of a separating-chamber; an operating-shaft mounted thereon; a beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying eccentrically a pair of rotatable gears connected together; a driving-gear secured to said shaft and meshing with one of the pair of gears; a second beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying concentrically a gear meshing with the other of the pair of gears; a pair of hollow agitating-shafts rotatably mounted in the separating-chamber and eac carrying a beveled gear meshing with one of the beveled gears on the operating-shaft and agitators on said hollow shafts adapted to induce a flow of fluid across the lower ends of the shafts, substantially as specified.

4. In a butter-separator, the combination of a separating-chamber; an operating-shaft mounted thereon; a beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying eccentrically a pair of rotatable gears connected together; a driving-gear secured to said shaft and meshing with one of the pair of gears; a second beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying concentrically a gear meshing with the other of the pair of gears; a pair of hollow agitating-shafts rotatably mounted in the separating-chamber and each carrying a beveled gear meshing with one of the beveled gears on the operating-shaft and an agitator on the bottom of each of said hollow shafts, consisting of a plurality of radiating arms having channels open at the bottom and adapted to induce a flow of fluid across the lower ends of the shafts, substantially as specified.

5. In a butter-separator, the combination of a separator-chamber; an operating-shaft mounted thereon; a beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying eccentrically a pair of rotatable gears connected together; a driving-gear secured to said shaft and meshing with one of the pair of gears; a second beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying concentrically a gear meshing with the other of the pair of gears; a pair of hollow agitating-shafts in the separating-chamber and each carrying a beveled gear meshing with one of the beveled gears on the operating-shaft; a bearing-block carried by each of said hollow shafts and provided with a conical bearing-recess; adjustable setscrews mounted in the bottom of said chamber and provided with conical points engaging the recess in said bearingblocks; and agitators on said hollow shafts adapted to induce a flow of fluid across the lower ends of the shafts, substantially as specified.

6. In a butter-separator, the combination of a separating-chamber; an operating-shaft mounted thereon; a beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying eccentrically a pair of rotatable gears connected together; a driving-gear secured to said shaft and meshing with one of the pair of gears; a second beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying concentrically a gear meshing with the'other of the pair of gears; a pair of hollow agitating-shafts in the separating-chamber and each carrying a beveled gear meshing with one of the beveled gears on the operating-shaft; a bearing-block carried by each of said hollow shafts and provided with a conical bearing-recess; adjustable set-screws mounted in the bottom of said chamber and provided with conical ocks; and an agitator on the bottom of each of said hollow shafts consisting of a plurality of radiating arms having channels open at the bottom and adapted to induce a flow of fluid across the lower ends of the shafts, substantially as specified.

7. In a butter-separator, the combination of a separating-chamber; an operating-shaft mounted thereon; a beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying eccentrically a pair of rotatable gears connected together; a driving-gear secured to'said shaft and meshing with one of the pair of gears; a second beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying concentrically a gear meshing with the other of the pair of gears; a pair of hollow agitating-shafts in the separating-chamber and each carrying a beveled gear meshing with one of the beveled gears on the operating-shaft; a bearing-block carried by each of said hollow shafts and pro vided with a conical bearing-recess; adjustable set-screws mounted in the bottom of said chamber and provided with conical points engaging the recess in said bearingblocks; a washer around said set-screws and bearing against the outsideof the bottom of the chamber; a jam-nut on said set-screws bearing against said washer; a jam-nut on said set-screws and side of the bottom of the chamber; and agitators on said hollow shafts adapted to induce a flow of fluid across the lower ends of the shafts, substantially as specified.

8. In a butter-separator, the combination of a separating-chamber; an operating-shaft mounted thereon; a beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying eccentrically a pair of rotatable gears connected together; a driving-gear secured to said shaft and meshing with one of the pair of gears; a second beveled gear loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying concentrically a gear meshing with the other of the pair of gears; a pair of hollow agitating-shafts in the separating-chamber and each carrying a beveled gear meshing wth one of the beveled gears on the operating-shaft; a bearing-block carried by each of said hollow shafts and provided with a conical bearing-recess; adjust able set-screws mounted in the bottom of said chamber and provided with conical points engaging the recess in said bearingblocks; a washer around said set-screws and bearing against the outside of the bottom of the chamber; a jam-nut on said set-screw bearing against said washer; a jam-nut on said set-screw and bearing against the inside of the bottom of the chamber; and an agitator on the bottom of each of said hollow shafts consisting of a plurality of radiating arms having channels open at the bottom and adapted to induce a flow of fluid across the lower ends of the shafts, substantially as specified.

points engaging the recess in said bearingbearing against the in- 9. In a butter-separator, the combination of separating-chamber A, oblong in crosssection; standards C; shaft D; beveled gears L and I loosely mounted on shaft D; gear F secured to shaft D; gears G and J carried by spool H rotatablymounted on gear I; gear K carried by gear L; hollow shafts M and N carrying gears m and n; agitators R on the lower ends of shafts M and N; bearingblocks 8' carried by agitators R; and setscrews T in the bottom of the chamber; substantially as specified.

10. In a butter-separator, the combination of separating-chamber A, oblong in crosssection; standards C; shaft D; beveled gears L and'I loosely mounted on shaft D; gear F secured to shaft D; gears-G and J carried by spool H rotatably mountedon gear I; gear K carried by gear L; hollow shafts M and N carrying gears m'and n; agitators Q on the central portions of shafts M and N; agitators R on the lower ends of' shafts M and N'; bearsizase lug-blocks S'carried byagitators R; and setscrews T in the bottom of'the chamber, substantially as specified.

11. In a butter-separator, the combination of separating-chamber'A, oblong in crosssection; standards 0; shaft D; dammingstrips U andV on the interior wallsof said chamber; beveled gears L and I loosely mounted on shaft D; gear F secured to shaft D; gears G and J carried by spool H rotat'a bly mounted on. gear I gear'K carried by gear L; hollow shafts M and N carrying gears m and n; agitatorsQ on the central portions of shafts M and N; agitatorsR on the lower ends of shafts M and N; bearingblocks' S carried by agitators R; and'set screws Tin the bottom of the chamber, sub

stantially as specified.

ALPHEUS" FAY.

Witnesses: v

WALLACE A. MCKAY, WM. J. OLsoN. 

